U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Presque Isle
The 1,000-foot Presque Isle was the last ship through the Soo Locks for the 2016-17 navigation season.
Soo Locks now closed for the season
The Presque Isle, a 1,000-foot tug/barge, was the final ship through the Soo Locks this navigation season, locking through at about 11 p.m. on Sunday. After a busy two months of maintenance work by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the locks are scheduled to reopen on March 25. Final official cargo totals for the 2016-17 season aren’t yet available, but through December U.S.-flagged vessels had carried 4.5 percent less cargo than the year before.
The St. Lawrence Seaway, which links the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean, matched its record for longest navigation season. It was open for 286 days. Some 35 million tons of cargo passed through the seaway locks in 2016, including 11 million tons of grain – much of which came from Thunder Bay.
+ Watch the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw break ice for the James R. Barker in the St. Marys River last weekend, just before the season ended.
Thunder Bay beefing up bike trails
Matt Prokopchuk, reporting for CBC News:
Existing trails used by mountain bikers in a large green space in the north end of Thunder Bay, Ont. could see some significant upgrades in the coming years, as city officials say a plan will be developed to guide the process.
The city and the Blacksheep Mountain Bike Club have secured provincial funding for consultants to produce a plan to develop trails around the Shuniah Mines area in Trowbridge Falls park.
The goal is to develop Thunder Bay into a mountain biking destination, like other locales around Lake Superior.
+ In other Lake trail news: “The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community is working with the state and village to start a trail around the bay,” says Vanessa Dietz, reporting from Baraga, Michigan, for the Mining Gazette.
Ice cave hopes dwindle
Apostle Islands National Lakeshore says the recent warm weather (temps have reached 40 degrees F in some areas) has dashed hopes, at least for now, of access to the ice caves on foot:
For all those hoping for ice caves, we wish we had better news. It's still possible, but looking less likely. Large cracks are forming, very warm temperatures are expected to continue, the ice is of poor quality, and there's very little ice in Lake Superior.
The linked post also has satellite photos of this year’s ice cover vs. 2015’s, when the caves were last accessible.
New details about last year’s Roger Blough grounding: The ship ran aground at Gros Cap Reef while attempting to pass another vessel. The Duluth News Tribune talked with the U.S. Coast Guard’s lead investigator, who says the Blough suffered enough damage to be considered a “major marine casualty.”
“Northbound” Season 2 trailer drops: The post-apocalyptic webseries – filmed across the U.P., including at the old K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base outside Marquette – teased its second season this week. It’ll premiere on GeekNation.com in the spring. (We featured the series in our December/January issue.)
Ashland fisherman survives plunge through ice: James Ogilvie is sharing his harrowing story so others better prepare themselves on the ice. “There is no such thing as safe ice,” he told the Ashland Daily Press.
Grand Portage National Monument gets new superintendent: Craig Hansen replaces longtime superintendent Tim Cochrane, who retired in December, the Duluth News Tribune reports.
Houghton PD gives Mother Nature a pass: According to the Mining Gazette, a newcomer to the area wasn’t happy about shoveling all evening, only to wake up to more snow.
Refugee family opens Syrian restaurant in Thunder Bay: “[Zaher] Toubaji was determined to open the restaurant within his first twelve months in the city, in order to show his gratitude to those who had helped his family” since arriving from Syria, the CBC reports.
What’s so great about the Great Lakes? This TED Education video explains. Then read up on more fun Lake Superior facts.